Christopher C. Bell currently lives in Tuscany, Italy where he is a practicing artist and a teacher. He has painted and created artwork all his life.
His process is to start with something of particular interest, and work towards a new awareness, to create an image with a fresh perception.
Christopher is interested in both abstraction and representation. The representational dealing with the specific reality of the depicted object, the abstract standing alone in its own right.
He says, ‘What excites me most is to work with spontaneity, taking risks within an organised framework. I welcome accidents in my painting. They create conflict and ambiguity which challenges the viewer’s understanding of reality.’
The making of the image is a revision of his thinking.
‘It is not a matter of painting life but giving life to a painting.’ As Richard Diebenkorn says.
He has exhibited in the Whitechapel Art Gallery in London, in the USA, Italy and Germany. His work is included in private collections and he regularly undertakes commissions.
Christopher's background is in education, teaching art to young students, teachers and adults. He is an Advanced Skills Teacher and led the Development of Thinking and Learning Skills in East Sussex schools.
Chelsea College of Art (BA First-class honours), Slade School of Fine Art (MA), Painting Scholarship to Yale University USA, PGCE (Sussex University), Diploma in Counselling ( De Montfort University )
He continues his work as a teacher running painting holidays with his wife Krysia at their spectacular mountain retreat in Tuscany and at locations throughout Italy, as well as teaching in his local town of Barga.
See http://www.art-toscana.com for more information on Christopher's painting holidays in Tuscany, Sicily, and Florence
Barga News - Interview with Christopher Bell - painter - Intelligent Tourism in Barga.